


Kikoku’s Curse

by Mossybrows



Series: Torao's Timeless Troubles [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Gen, Implied Incest: Doflamingo and Rocinante, Law-centric, LawLu - Freeform, M/M, Minor Monkey D. Luffy/Trafalgar D. Water Law, Modern!AU meets Canonverse!, Multi, OOC in the beginning for plot reasons, Other, POV Trafalgar D. Water Law, Tsundere Trafalgar D. Water Law, ZoSan - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-09-23
Packaged: 2019-03-25 13:03:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 18,762
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13835022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mossybrows/pseuds/Mossybrows
Summary: The Great Pirate Age is over, but it refuses to be forgotten.Trafalgar Law is a med-school freshman who finds a cursed nodachi, Kikoku, in his new apartment. Now, he can’t separate himself from it, or from the memories it brings of someone named “Cora-san.” Sometimes, a blade will shape itself based on the feelings of it’s master.





	1. Attachment

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shishiswordsman](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shishiswordsman/gifts).



> This fic is Modern AU with heavy references to Canonverse (with that said, liberties will be taken with regards to places from the real world, as I’ll only be using the locations I am most familiar with in the UK in my short time there.)
> 
> Despite being in a Modern AU, this IS a One Piece fic, so, I’m gonna go Oda and say fuck proportions, Doflamingo has a 12-pack, that is literally insane, fuck everything
> 
> This fic is entirely based on the Donquixote brothers and Law’s MMD version of “Donut Hole” that came out 4 years ago, go ahead and watch it on youtube before or after you read this, this entire fic is literally that video’s fault. Blame the “Donut Hole” Law and Donquixote Brothers MMD for this fic.
> 
> Despite being inspired by aforementioned video, I intend to go beyond the end of the video to explore what happens next
> 
> This fic uses speculation around some of the mysteries of One Piece, such as how Law acquired his sword and who exactly is the mythical demon that created the Akuma No Mi (Devil Fruits) 
> 
> Since aside from Law’s history with his youth and Cora-san we know very little about his adventures as a pirate before meeting Luffy, I will be expanding a bit on that grey area
> 
> Despite speculation, I will be leaving future events in One Piece alone, such as Law’s fate (how he dies, does he get old? Does he get married? Does he make out with Luffy? All up in the air since they haven’t happened yet) I will only be speculating on the past
> 
> Law suffers from a form of Dissociative Personality Disorder in Modern AU 
> 
> Law’s sword is a nodachi, not a katana so I will be referring to it as such unless one of the characters makes the mistake of calling it a katana because people do that when they’re not in canonverse or aren’t japanese/ don’t know any better about Japanese blades
> 
> This is going to be really lame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law finds a cursed nodachi, casually sitting on his workdesk and has no idea why it's there. Also the Mugiwaras are here.

Law was looking up from where he was lounging on the deck of the yellow sub, muttering while leaning against Beppo when the question was posed.

“ _Senchou_ , I’ve wondered for a while...” Shachi began, counting some of the medical supplies they had just procured for inventory.  “Don’t wanna sound rude, but what’s with that sword of yours?”

“ _Kikoku_.” Law corrected. He shifted, lifting his blade to cradle it against his shoulder in a more comfortable position. He eyed it for a moment before closing his eyes to listen. “They say he embodies all of the wailings of restless ghosts he has slain for his master to hear endlessly. However...” He stopped without finishing the thought.

“ _Kikoku_ ...howling-restless-ghost?” Penguin asked. He’d  been eavesdropping as he counted the volume of A-type blood packs they had. “Creepy. Real creepy,  _Senchou_.”

“You think that story about the  _Umi No Akuma_  is true?” Shachi pressed again; he was full of questions today. 

Penguin interrupted. “That story was creepy! You remember? You remember what it said? ‘ _Here, I’ll give you this cursed sword…_ ’”

“‘ _But if you wish on it, it’ll take your soul!_ ’ Howaa! That’s terrifying!” Shachi threw his arms up, screaming.

“If you’re going to make that much noise, does that mean you’re done?” Law scolded.

Shachi laughed, awkward sweat beading on the side of his face as he scratched the back of his head. “Sorry,  _Senchou_ .” He paused, righting himself to get back to counting. “But, you know...isn’t it dangerous?” Law lazilly eyed his crew, waiting for Shachi to continue, even as the others moved about, taking notes. “If you wish on  _Kikoku-san…_ what does that mean? Making a wish?” Shachi asked.

“...who knows.” Law stated with a shrug. “...maybe it’s what they say about swords? Sometimes…”

_“...sometimes, a blade may shape itself based on the feelings of it’s master.”_

Law stared at the sword through his thickly-framed glasses, phone in his hand. The blade was long, much longer than any of the swords he’d seen on display in the museum nearby. It sat across his desk casually, as if it belonged there, right on top of the open book he had left there the night before. 

“Law?” Shachi’s voice asked through the phone in his left ear.

Law’s brows furrowed. “Did you just say something?” He asked Shachi, unsure of himself. He was torn between wondering what the hell a katana was doing on his desk all of a sudden and wondering if he’d heard Shachi wrong.

Shachi’s voice came through, just as confused as Law’s. “Uh, yeah...what do you want for the hot pot?”

“That’s not what I heard.” Law said flatly, “What do we need hotpot for anyway? You never answered  _that_  question.”

Law may have tried to bring his attention back to the conversation, but his gaze had yet to leave the long, peculiar sword. It's sheath was black with little white crosses decorating it's length, shining like lacquer-ware in the dim light of his room. The red string tied around the top of it seemed suited enough, but what made the blade peculiar was the white fur-tipped handle. But what was it doing here?

“...apartment.” Shachi finished, Law missing most of the sentence before that.

“What?” Law grunted, now growing irritated. He grabbed the blade and put it under his bed, not knowing where else to put it, especially if he was planning to have guests over later in the evening.

Shachi was once again sounded confused. “Eh?”

“Nevermind.” Law quickly replied. “I’ll be out in a few minutes. It’s just going to be you and the guys, right?”

Law quickly grabbed his backpack off the chair and looked around at all the boxes he had yet to unpack. The apartment was new, starting his PHD course to become a full-fledged surgeon was going to be one hell of a long ride for sure, especially since he’d decided that moving an entire city was necessary. His parents may not have liked it, despite it being a couple hours train ride away, but both his father and mother understood the need, being doctors themselves. So he was here, miles away from home, not-so-coincidentally in the same city as his childhood friends. They’d made a pact to stay together after all.

“Yeah. We’re all going to be at the cafe near the station in a bit.” Shachi reminded Law. “Don’t be late!”

Law resisted the urge to roll his eyes, even if he had, Shachi wouldn’t be there to see it, it’d be pointless. “Yeah.” Then, he hung up. 

Adjusting his glasses, Law slung his backpack over his shoulder. Soon enough, Law had made his way out of the building and down the road, where he was now waiting to cross the street at the crosswalk. He listened to the usual sounds, the cars driving by, the cries of the magpies fighting over shiny things and even the occasional chatter of the stray squirrel. It was the beginning of winter, which meant the animals were busy with stowing away as much as they could find to survive the coming months. However, the noises of the little creatures that lived among them were  drowned out into the background this morning by voices of the people around him. He realized that they were speaking in hushed tones. Bits and pieces of conversation carried across the cold breeze to his ears.

“-makeup on his face?”

“Is that allowed?”

“I guess you can do whatever you want when you’re a politician.”

“...they look a bit more like gangsters don’t you think?”

Law raised a curious brow, spotting several people whispering to their companions across the street. He could also hear voices start to pick up behind him.

_“Gotta be at least ten feet tall.”_

“What do they eat over there in Spain?”

“Spain…?” 

“Those guys, I think one of them’s the  _Provost_  that was assigned here from Spain.”

“One of them? So who’s the other one?”

Law sighed and began crossing the street, ignoring the conversation after he’d heard enough. Politics was never something he was interested in. He spotted two rather tall men, both blond, one wearing a hat and the other with his hair spiked back in a flashy manner. Law noted how lame the pink sunglasses were on the taller man. He scooted to their right, trying to avoid them as much as possible as they approached each other in the middle of the crossing. Law picked up his phone when it vibrated in his pocket.

“You’re late!” Penguin said from the other end of the line in a jovial manner. 

Law sighed. “I am not, shut up. Shachi and Bepo aren’t even there yet, are they?” That’d be the only reason Penguin had to be calling him like this.

“ _...just be good and do as I say.”_  An older, stern and powerful voice caught a bit of Law’s attention as he passed by the two men. “ _You are my precious little brother after all. I’ll always-”_

Law barely paid attention to the conversation he caught as he made it across the street and continued on and Penguin’s voice drowned it out anyway. “Just hurry up, I’m bored!”

Without another word, Law hung up on his friend, knowing that Penguin would forgive him one way or another. He made his way down to what he predicted might become their most frequented cafe, called ‘Green Bitt”. After a few drinks and deciding what they’d want to put into the hot pot, they went to the nearby Tesco to get what they needed. Overall, it was a rather pleasant, relatively peaceful afternoon.

Unfortunately, the peace between them wasn’t going to last long as he spotted a rather familiar, boisterous face in the crowd as they made their way back to his apartment. Said obnoxious face was very quickly closing in on him and Law felt his stomach drop.

“ _TOOOOORAAAAAOOOOOOOOOO_!”

There was no escape.

“That’s _NOT_ my name!” was all Law could say in his defense as Luffy’s arms shot past is face and pretty soon he was seeing black and staggering backwards, trying not to fall from the sudden impact. “Gffhau--!” 

Oh god. Oh god people were staring. People were staring at him. At both of them.  _Oh god._

“Lu--fhh!” Law struggled to breathe.

Shachi, Penguin and Bepo were all protesting, stamping their feet and yelling at the monkey-like boy on top of their friend. No, no, no, he did not want to be making this kind of ruckus, not upon just moving here, Law thought as he fought to get the overly-flexible boy off of him. “Luffy-ya!” he growled.

“ _Shi-shi-shi_!” Luffy laughed. “ _Torao_ , you’re here, you’re here! I thought you were moving far, far away!”

Luffy’s rambling was soon accompanied by the usual drivel of the rest of his mates. Law momentarily wondered how unfathomably rotten his luck must be to have ended up in the same town as these idiots.

“Honestly, Luffy’s the only one that can make a scary guy make such an ugly face.” Sanji remarked when their lot finally closed in on Law and his group. “Oi, Luffy, you’re going to kill him if you keep squeezing, humans need to breathe.”

“Not from what I saw the other day at the beach.” Zoro, of course, was quick to pick a fight. “You were like a swirly fish.”

Law tried his best to ignore the explosion of insults that came with the two’s usual outbursts, still struggling to get away from Luffy, who had yet to stop talking. “Where are you going? Where did you come from? Why are you here? Are you living here? Is that  _MEAT_ ?! Are you having a  _party_?!” As expected, at the word ‘party’, the rest of his unruly friends all chirped up. That was it. Law was doomed. What had he ever done to deserve such bad luck being attached to such annoying people?

\---

Law felt the hand coming to rest in a gentle touch on his shoulder before he could see it. He felt light, like he wasn't standing up at all. But surely, he had to be upright. If he wasn’t, then how could he explain what he was seeing now?

Right in front of him was himself, slumped over on the living room couch, surrounded by everyone else from their little get together. He knew it was himself, because he could recall passing out after having one too many shots, thanks to losing a bet that Luffy couldn’t possibly eat 47 servings of hot pot meat. If that was him...who was the guy standing directly in front of him?

Wasn’t that also himself? Yes, the other guy looked just like him, but it was wrong somehow. It was wrong in a way he couldn’t put his finger on; but he was standing right there, another him. This version of him wore a long black coat with a high collar, white crosses decorating the length of it. It reminded him of the strange katana, or whatever it was (he suspected that katana weren’t meant to be this insanely long). Definitely not something to his taste in accessories. It was so...gothic, if he were to choose a word to describe it. 

The other him reached out and touched his shoulder tenderly, as if the mere action would shatter the sleeping version of himself on the couch.

“--hh!” Law woke up with a start, looking around the living room that was now emptier than it was last night.

He could hear the sound of the vacuum going, plates clacking together, chairs being moved, plastics being shuffled and boxes being unpacked among other things.

“Yo.” Sanji’s voice greeted him, an unlit cigarette dangling from the corner of his lips. “Did the vacuum wake you up? I told Luffy you’d appreciate having a few more minutes...or hours.”

“ _Hours_.” Law groaned, sighing and putting an arm up to cover his eyes from the lights that’d been turned on sometime while he was asleep.

 A loud clang in the kitchen had Sanji snapping his head back to yell, fire in his voice. “OI, useless  _MARIMO_! I said be careful with those dishes, they’re not ours!”

Law groaned. Even if Sanji had been considerately trying to get him back to sleep, his yelling was preventing him from doing so. Upon getting to his feet, Law’s eyes widened when he spotted the  _katana_ , directly across from him, casually leaning against the wall.

“Oh, that. I found that while cleaning under your bed.” Sanji informed him with a jab of his thumb.

“Yeah…” Law replied as casually as he could, though he couldn’t keep the shivers from crawling up his spine as he eyed the blade. He narrowed his eyes in a sudden fury at the sword being casually left out in the open— though, it was quick to fade when he realized there was no reason for the feeling. It wasn’t even really his. “Something like that….I was thinking of pawning it off, maybe see how much a museum will hand me for it.”

“That’s a  _nodachi_.” Zoro piped up, he emphasized the foreign word accusingly, as if Law should’ve known better. He came over while wiping his hands on a clean cloth that Law thought suspiciously looked like the ones he’d brought with him from home. “Where’d you get it? I’ve been wondering for awhile.”

Law’s eyes narrowed in exasperation when Zoro tossed the now wet cloth into Sanji’s face, sparking an angry fit from the blond. “I guess dad must’ve put it in one of my boxes. I didn’t really notice it at first.” Law admitted. “Must’ve just pulled it out when I was absent-mindedly unpacking.”

Zoro eyed the blade and Law could see the curious desire in his eyes. But Zoro being Zoro, he kept his distance when it was regarding swords of any kind that weren’t his own. If it wasn’t handed to him or offered respectfully, he wouldn’t lay a finger on it. Now, if only the man would show the same kind of restraint when it came to procuring alcohol from other people’s refrigerators. 

“You two!” Nami screeched from the other end of the apartment, throwing a mop and a bucket at the two arguing idiots. The mop hit Zoro’s square in the face while the bucket bounced off Sanji’s head and then luckily, fell right into his hands. Law wondered if for a moment, he was in some sort of comedy show.

“Stop dilly-dallying and mop the floors! I want to finish early so we can beat everyone else for the morning sale!” She commanded.

“Right away,  _Nami-swaaaan_ !” Sanji sang. “Oi, get moving  _marimo-hetto_!”

Grumbling, Zoro went to work, filling the bucket, nagged on by Sanji, who Law assumed to be either his current or future boyfriend- given how they always bickered like a married couple. A meddlesome, exhausting, noisy married couple.

This left Law alone to his own devices. Despite the mess they’d made, Luffy and his company had decided to clean up after themselves, leaving Shachi, Penguin and Beppo to supervise where Law liked his things unpacked. Law was left staring at the  _katana_ , the dream he’d had putting him on edge. Taking a deep breathe, he took a wary step forward. The planks felt like they were set in water as he made his way across the room, bobbing up and down as he went. He struggled to keep his balance, the apartment bobbing to the waves of the sea.

 ...the sea?

He reached out to grasp the blade’s sheathe, vision going side to side with the rest of the apartment. If the damn ocean would keep still for a moment, he could reach it. A gasp, sounding like the rush of waves filled his lungs and the world began to plunge.

Everything was colder down here, under the water. The silence under the waves always felt so secure, a sense of being hidden away from the turmoil and the raging storms of the world above the surface. Waiting, waiting...waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

“Law?” Bepo’s voice snapped him back to reality, and Law looked down to find that he was holding the katana in his hand. When had he picked it up? Bepo adjusted the polar bear suit head he always wore; it tilted when he’d leaned over to get Law’s attention.

Law looked at him. “What is it?”

Bepo gestured to the box he was holding in his big fluffy hands— Law never did really figure out how his friend managed to function so easily while living in a fur suit. Then again, if he were to go without it, it’d seem odd.

“Ah. Those are my toiletries. Gimme a second.” Law said, walking over to the bed through the open door to his bedroom and placing the katana back under it where Sanji had found it. “Over here.” He gestured as he returned to the living room to lead Bepo, intending to completely forget about the object for the rest of the day, or the semester, if he were so fortunate.


	2. Intertwine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law suffers from his Dissociative identity disorder (DID), thanks to the nodachi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Don't forget to look up the "Kikoku's Dictionary" which is a list of things such as words and trivia I put together for this fic. You'll need it if you want to understand the authority structure since there are no pirates in this Modern AU and that means no Marines either!

Law exhaled, blackness fading from his vision as he took in his surroundings. He felt very comfortable, shockingly more so than when his mother tucked him in at night when he was a boy. He flexed his fingers, slowly realizing where his different extremities were. With a heavy sigh, he realized he was sprawled out on the bed, an arm wrapped around the  _ katana _ he could’ve sworn was very much under the bed just the night before.

 

With a groan, he discovered just how constricted in certain places he felt, particularly his chest, shoulders, thighs, knees and hips. Looking down, he found his jeans still on along with his dress shirt and vest. Fuck. He hadn’t undressed. 

 

Damn...when did he get home? Where had he come from? The last thing he remembered was...ah, a late night out exploring the town with the guys. Right. Yes. It should have been be a Friday night if he recalled correctly. Whose idea was it to have orientation on a Saturday, anyway?

 

He turned his head, eyes meeting the calendar he’d hurriedly put up when he first moved in to keep track of his days. He counted the crosses from the day he moved in and sighed in relief when he confirmed that this was the correct day and that he hadn’t gotten it wrong; five days now, since he moved in. Carefully, he sat up, the bed sinking as it gave under the shifting of his weight, his fingers wrapped tightly around the sheathe of the cross-decorated weapon.

 

He really needed to get rid of this  _ katana _ , lest he cut himself open by accident in his sleep. Surely though, he had put it back under his bed the very day Sanji had found it under there. He hadn’t taken it out since.

 

Grunting, he took the  _ katana _ and leaned it against the wall, somehow, fingers expertly maneuvering it as if they’d done so a thousand times over and then some. The sheathe was smooth and soothing to the touch. Not warm, not cold, but perfect. As the rest of him parted from the embrace he had with the sword, the places where the weapon laid against still tingled nostalgically.

 

They fit perfectly together.

 

The thought made him shudder. What was this? This blade had made him sick earlier; sea-sick almost. He shook his head to clear his thoughts and turned to get his things together, thankful he had the foresight to pack them up the night before. He glanced at his phone, cursing when he realized he was definitely going to be late.

 

Law quickly threw off his clothes, the material noisily hitting the floor and the side of his bed with flops that sounded loud to hear first thing in the morning. Deciding to clean up later when he got home, hurriedly picked out something new to throw on before grabbing his things. He ran to the door, popping his feet into his shoes--he hissed at the burn his sock caused when he used his forefinger to guide is feet in. Ignoring the familiar burning sensation, he sprinted out of the apartment complex, letting the door lock automatically behind him.

 

Law passed by shop after shop--the Gryphon’s Pub, Baby’s Clean-Up Service, Gladius’ Demolition Service, Viola’s Dance Class, Green Bitt Cafe and a few thrift shops here and there that he couldn’t quite remember.

 

He would’ve been proud of the fact that he was quickly getting to learn his surroundings in his new home if he wasn’t in such a rush. The could feel the cold chill in his lungs, his nostrils growing numb as did his windpipe. The change of seasons from late autumn to early winter was not a time of year to be sprinting as he was.

 

The distinct feeling of pins and needles began to overtake the tips of his fingers grasped tightly around the sheath of his sword.

 

Everything stood still for a moment. No noise, no voice, not even a breath as Law stood there, stock still in the middle of the street that moments ago he had been sprinting down. He stared at the long  _ katana _ in his hand.

 

...when had he taken it with him?

 

The vibrating phone in his pocket prevented Law from the down spiral of thoughts he’d felt himself begin on. Thankfully, it was Bepo, with some news Law was rather glad to hear.

 

“Law?” Bepo asked, voice slightly muffled as always. 

 

“Bepo.” Law mumbled. “What is it?”

 

“Hey, are you on the way here already? They moved orientation later by like, three hours!” Bepo began to whine. “I’m alone, Shachi and Peng-ie didn’t tell me!”

 

Law took a breath, processing what Bepo had just said, a stray dried leaf, bright red burned through the grey of the cold late autumn day. He honed in on it, the brilliant color setting everything right again. Cars began to move. People began to talk. Bepo sounded much clearer on the other end.

 

“...I didn’t…” Law said, finding himself again. “I’m on the way, let’s go get some breakfast, I’m starving.”

 

As he hurried, he ran right into an overly-tall figure. Shit. He hadn’t been paying attention enough, he scolded himself. In the midst of self-reprimandation, he glanced up to find a pair of tacky, pink sunglasses tilted down in his direction. Shit, it was the Donquixote politician--what were they called again?  _ Provost _ , right. They were the  Political Administrators with the responsibility to govern pockets of Military Police territory.

 

_ Provost _ Doflamingo loomed over him, the man was almost twice his height. “Excuse you.”

 

“E-Excuse me.” managed to squeak out, still reeling from his earlier loss of focus.

 

His brother, the other Donquixote, joined him soon enough, exiting a small shop that Law didn’t have the time to fully pay attention to.  _ Rocinante-Tokke _ , short for  _ Tokkeitai _ . If Provost Doflamingo was the top authority, Rocinante-Tokke was  The direct assistant to a Provost. Tokkeitai are known as the hands and feet of a Provost, acting on their orders to oversee the more practical executions of orders. Basically, he was a glorified errand boy.

 

Law turned quickly, feeling like a scurrying little mouse as he bolted away from the two men. He berated himself internally for how embarrassing that exchange had been. The student had always had a bit of a distaste for authority figures, his father often told him. Having literally run into one, a  _ Provost _ of all things, made him realize just what kind of shitty day he was going to have.

 

\---

 

“You’re really going to give that away?” Bepo asked with a tilt of his head. He reached onto the table and took his smoothie, popping the straw into the barely visible opening in his cartoony polar-bear mouth in the headpiece to take a few sips. “Isn’t it really valuable?”

 

Law leaned back in his seat, crossing one leg over the other, sword once again resting in the tuck of his shoulder at his side. “That’s what I’m saying. Think how much it’ll be worth. I can ask my folks to stop paying for the apartment...or even pay off the whole course myself.”

 

“Point.” Shachi agreed, chewing through his belgian waffles.

 

Penguin however seemed a little more skeptical. “Who exactly is going to pay for that? Museum’s take donations more than anything. Only way you’re getting paid is if you’re an archeologist or something, right?”

 

Law shrugged. “It’s worth a shot.” Anything was worth a shot if he was going to get rid of this damn thing, he thought.

 

“Maybe you can see if Zoro’s dad’ll buy it?” Bepo suggested. “Zoro seemed really interested in it the other day.”

 

Law gave Bepo a surprised look. “Oh. Yeah.” His response was cut short due to the realization that he’d never thought about it before.

 

In actual fact, he had felt antsy, thinking back, seeing the way Zoro wanted to go and pick up his sword. Law frowned.

 

“Maybe not?” Shachi piped up in response to what he took to be Law’s negative reaction. “You don’t really look like you’re too eager to give it up.”

 

Law’s face remained sourly in contemplation. “...maybe I’ll see if Eustass  wants it.”

 

The absence of a response hung in the air after his statement, like stale bread, even the usual sound of chewing, eating and drinking from even Bepo ceased.

 

“Law?” Shachi was the first to break the veil of silence between them. “Are you...alright?”

 

“Yeah?” Law questioned in return. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

 

“No...uh…” Shachi began to stammer.

 

Penguin cut in. “I need more chips.” He complained.

 

Law slowly took a hold of his coffee cup and raised it to his lips, eyeing the three around him at the table as they too began to resume whatever they were doing. “Eustass-ya is a scrap-metal-junkie, I’m pretty sure he might want it.”

 

Law pretended to not see the way Shachi made a passing glance at Penguin, who returned it. Bepo however, continued to enjoy his drink, sipping it dry as he seemed to stare right at him. As always, nobody could tell what kind of expression Bepo was making under the mascot when he was quiet like this.

 

Law averted his gaze to the screen on his phone, numbers blinking in and out of existence, finally changing only when a full minute had passed. The silence was welcome, it being too cold to be out this time of day, unless you were a student.

 

“Time to go.” He said, getting up.

 

The sound of metal scraping across the stone floor of the outside patio of Green Bit Cafe resonated in his ear, ringing as the others followed him.

 

_ Law strode, making his way across the deck of the yellow, fish-shaped vessel. Thing were going to get rough if the chilled air had anything to say about it. He stopped, turning back to survey the ocean and ensure no marine ships were in sight. It would be a problem if they caught him now. He chuckled as Beppo groaned and began complaining about being stuck in the hot metal hallways for another few days. They had no choice however, not when their patient was still trying to heal from what was bound to be a massive scar in the middle of his chest, was still unconscious. If only the idiot hadn’t caused such a ruckus, it would be a shame to lose him now. _

 

_ Upon descending into the depths of the submarine, he felt his surroundings give and his insides rise just a bit as the pressure adjusted. They went below, down, down, down, deep into the ocean. _

 

_ Waiting, waiting, waiting for the storm to pass. _

 

_ The Surgeon of Death approached his study after checking up on the very much still unconscious boy in the other room, deciding that some light reading would do, if only for a few minutes. Laying Kikoku against the desk to his left, he reached for the book, turning each page as he finished it, soon only seeing black. _

 

Again, that ghostly hand of his other self tapped him on the shoulder. 

 

With a gasp, Law’s neck burned as he snapped his head up, vision rising from an open book on his desk. His glasses made a soft thud against the open pages as they fell off. His arms felt tingly, covered in pins and needles as he regained consciousness. He saw black in the corner of his vision and tilted his head slightly to find the katana leaning against his study desk. The apartment was bathed in a dull blue.

 

...when had he fallen asleep? What happened to orientation?

 

He turned, chest heaving with strain and spine cold with shock as he heard a strange jiggling noise. He found the handle to his door shaking violently, a tremendous force from the other side. He got up, reaching for the light switch and opening the door just as it was beginning to shake more violently.

 

On the other side, a slightly older man with wild blonde hair sticking out from what had to be some form of hockey mask...was it a hockey mask? Hockey masks had holes for eyes. Either way, said to be home-invader came as only a slight surprise.

 

“Didn’t think you were home.” “Killer” stated--Law was almost a hundred percent sure that Killer wasn’t his real name. “Sorry about that.”

 

“What are you doing here?” Law demanded, though with only slight irritation to his voice; he was still groggy.

 

Killer sounded amused. “Did I wake you up? Little early to be sleeping, isn’t it?”

 

Law glanced down to find two handles poking out from behind Killer’s lower back. Assuming that the brown belt around his waist was a holster of some kind, they were bound to be knives or some sort.

 

“If you get seen with those, people might call the local MPs.” Law remarked casually, leaning against his door.

 

Killer’s mask twitched upward a few inches as his shoulders fell. “Well, look who’s all tough now. You sure didn’t seem like the kind to have a pair this afternoon.”

 

Law’s brows furrowed; he’d lost time...what happened while he was out? He held his ground, raising a questioning brow at the man in the mask. The demeanor came naturally to him, washing over him with familiarity as he stared the other down, waiting for an answer. 

 

“I was here to steal that there  _ katana _ .” Killer finally admitted. “But since you’re here, I’ll just let boss know you’re not interested in letting the thing go just yet. He might come after you for it though.”

 

With that, Killer turned, wild spiked hair flying and nearly hitting Law in the face. He wrinkled his nose at the few strands that managed to tickle the skin there. Now that he was facing away from Law, the medical student’s stomach dropped when he saw the curved blades that were attached to the handles he’d spied earlier.

 

Fucking maniac was carrying scythes around like he was some sort of Vorhees wannabe.

 

Law scowled before slamming the door shut, turning to face the cause of all his latest problems, the sword, still innocently leaning against the desk.

 

“...tried to get rid of you and this is payback huh?” Law sighed--look at him, he was talking to a fucking piece of metal. “Fuck.”

 

He took his phone out and hit speedial.

 

_ “...Law?” _

 

“Hey, dad.” Law released a breath he wasn’t even aware he was holding up until that point.

 

_ “Is everything alright?” _

 

Law sat down on his bed, gaze snapping to the sword. “...I think so.”

 

_ “...Law.” _

 

“I lost time again.” Law fessed up. “Today. I don’t remember orientation at all.”

 

“I see. Did you find a blue bottle in your toiletries box?”

 

“No I...I didn’t have a look. I’ll look now.” Law stood, making his way to his bathroom and opening the medicine cabinet behind the mirror that Beppo had personally arranged for him. “...yeah, they’re here.”

 

He could hear the smile in his father’s voice. “Remember Law, you’re the one in control. It’s your body. If you need anything, I’ll come right over.”

 

Law nodded, even though his father couldn’t see him. “I know.”

 

_ “We love you, Law.” _

 

Law dropped the phone, feeling a sudden pain in his chest, a tightening sensation and seized him and wouldn’t let go. He staggered forward, vision going blurry and cheeks suddenly wet. “Don’t go, don’t go anywhere!’ he wanted to scream.

 

_ “Law?! Law! Son!” _

 

Law picked up the phone, still gasping. “I’m fine. I tripped over something.” He lied. “I’m fine, I’m fine dad.”

 

_ “Are you sure? I can get a train-” _

 

“Dad. I’m fine.” Law reinforced, steadying his breathing. “I’m  _ fine _ .”

 

“Law.”

 

Law uttered a wry chuckle. “It’s bound to happen sometime. I’m probably just stressed because I know school is starting.” 

 

“Law...if you start having nightmares again, Iet me know. Don’t even think about holding out on me.” 

 

“I know, dad.” Law confirmed, smile evident in his voice.

 

Law let the call drop with a long, heavy sigh. He couldn’t be doing this now, dissociating in the middle of class was undoubtedly going to be a hindrance in the middle of his studies. The entire idea of moving away from where he had awful memories of losing time, waking up in the middle of some place he didn’t remember, all the while crying was to help get over his disorder. 

 

He wasn’t a child anymore.

 

Soft flakes were starting to fall outside, he noticed with a deep seated feeling of loss in his chest. Every time it would snow, he felt empty, like a piece of his person had been mercilessly torn out and laid to freeze out in the cold, bloodied and wounded beyond saying. Law heard a gasp, then realized it was his own, a solid feeling in his grip.

 

He was holding the sword again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for reading! Remember, if you like my writing, I'm moving out of my parent's house for the fourth time and I'll really appreciate the help with the move and my bills! Simply visit me at ko-fi.com/mossybrows if you're feeling generous!


	3. Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law looks for answers from Daikengou and Provost, Dracule Mihawk and his son, Roronoa Zoro.

Law watched with bated breath when the other’s tanned hand reached out, skilled, sinewy fingers looking more and more threatening as it got closer and closer to his own. In the cradle of his own two palms, the long sword rested, vulnerable in its offered state. The other man’s fingers grasped the sheath, lifting the blade from his hands. He felt a pit of dread suddenly hollow itself out of his gut.

 

Law thought he would go crazy by the time Zoro was finally holding the blade.

 

There he sat, in the middle of one of the most peculiar places in all of northern United Kingdom. It was a custom-made, traditional Japanese style complex, constructed from imported bamboo matts and red wood. The walls were made of paper, just like he saw in so many anime tv shows, manga and even a few western cartoons as a kid. He felt like one again, sitting there on a pillow on the floor instead of a proper chair at a desk.

 

Only Zoro’s father would construct such an absurd place for his son to live in while he studied in the UK.

 

“...hm.” A thoughtful look crossed the other man’s eye. “It’s yours, alright.”

 

“What?” Law responded without so much as a second passing. 

 

“It’s a  _ nodachi _ , his name is  _ Kikoku _ .” Zoro replied, handing the  _ nodachi _ back to Law. “...did you forget?”

Law’s brows knit together and he stared at Zoro hard. The way he’d said that sounded condescending, like Law should’ve known better. It was almost accusatory. “So it’s Japanese?”

 

Zoro raised a brow. 

 

“Spit it out.” Law almost growled.

 

“The other day, you forgot that was even your sword.” Zoro pointed out, looking irritated, like he was berating a child. “You even said you were going to pawn it off. You’ve been weird.”

 

Law felt the familiar sensation of the building moving, no, not moving, not quite--it was more of a vibration, like the walls were living and they were terrified. The room tilted just slightly, a feeling that preceded the footsteps of a very tall, very intimidating man enter the tatami-floored room. The pale figure halted at the door, frowning at it’s opened position, before sliding it closed. Law had a feeling Zoro was going to be nagged at for not closing his doors like a slob.

 

“That’s an interesting blade.” Mihawk’s voice seemed to thunder despite lack of any negative emotion. “May I examine him?”

 

Law once again, nodded dumbly, not really knowing what else to do. One didn’t say no to the  _ Daikengou _ when it came to swords.  _ Provost _ Mihawk came to sit on one of the unoccupied pillows. Just like before, Law felt dread tugging at his insides.

 

Mihawk’s hand reached out.

 

_ The walls around Law rocked. _

 

The hand extended, closer, closer.

 

_ The alarm of the submarine blared; something was wrong. _

 

The tip of Mihawk’s finger finally touched the cross-marked sheath.

 

_ Law’s head slammed against the metal wall of the hallway, they were thrown off course. _

 

“Ah.” Mihawk’s voice brought Law’s senses back.

 

The silence in the room was loud, deafening as he realized where he was. He was about to lose time again. But he didn’t?

 

“So that’s how it is.” Mihawk chuckled in an oddly friendly manner--something Law realized he could never before recall ever hearing. Mihawk’s hands were on his own lap once more. He hadn’t taken the  _ nodachi _ .

 

_ Kikoku _ was still in his hands.

  
The sigh of relief was both a surprise and a welcome. It was a relief because he had momentarily forgotten to breathe in his sudden dissociation. It was a surprise due to his realization that he had to accept that yes, he was very much attached to  _ Kikoku _ .

 

“You should listen to those feelings.” It may have been intended as a suggestion, however Mihawk’s stern voice made it sound more like a command. 

 

“I-...” Law hesitated.

 

No. He didn’t need to tell them. His disorder was his own business. 

 

_ “Sometimes, a blade may shape itself based on the feelings of it’s master.” _ Despite clearly hearing it said in Mihawk’s voice, Law couldn’t help the way his shoulders stifferened.  _ “Don’t forget.” _

 

“What?” his own voice was but a whisper, he didn’t sound like himself, in either tone or what he said. “No...no I’m not...I’m going to be a surgeon, I’m not some  _ samurai… _ ”

 

Mihawk didn’t reply or offer any further explanation. He simply got up and left the room, taking his calmly bottled, immense, terrifying aura with him. 

 

Zoro watched as his dad left, before offering a shrug and stretching to relax on the floor. “Oh yeah, Luffy says he wants to hang out again.”

 

Law offered nothing but a sour expression--neither of them seemed to be taking this seriously at all.

 

\---

 

After some welcome hot tea, Law was well on his way to returning home later than he’d originally planned. The skies were already darkening, more so than they always were with the light snow that was now becoming the everyday phenomenon. Irritation at himself nagged at the back of his head as he walked down what was by now a familiar stretch of road.

 

There was Gryphon’s Pub, five shops down from that was Baby’s Clean-Up Service, then two shops away was Gladius’ Demolition Service, across which was Viola’s Dance Class, seven shops down was Green Bit Cafe, which took up an entire three blocks. After that, was the crosswalk, after which was the Military Police station. Good, he was getting to know his surroundings better despite losing time for the past couple of days.

 

“Isnt that-- _ what’s his name _ ?”

 

“Shh, he might hear you.  _ Provost _ hate-”

 

Law popped his earbuds in; he didn’t need to be hearing anything troublesome. As expected, he spied the two blonde men from his first day here when the gossip started up, approaching the other side of the crosswalk. Neither smiled, though he did realize that...one of them, the shorter one had a very fake, very disturbing red smile painted across his lips and up to the sides of his cheeks.

 

Creepy.

 

He averted his gaze when the road started to tilt. Popping his hand into his cardigan pocket, he tumbed the bottle of pills. Should he take one now? The day was almost over. If he took one every time he felt a slight sense of vertigo, he’d be out by the time he might really need one. The symptoms hadn't been that bad today. 

 

The green light in his peripheral vision initiated an automatic response to walk forward, even as his eyes stayed on his phone, looking for a song to play for the remainder of the short walk, even if to just drown out the gossip behind him. He spied a song name he recognized but couldn’t quite put the melody to.

 

“Donut Hole?” He uttered aloud as softly as he could, perplexed.

 

Mentally shrugging, he continued past the two large men who, at this point--he suspected anyway--expected the rest of the world to part to make way for them. He snorted, letting the song play and staring at his phone screen as a cover for not really giving a rats ass whether or not he ran into them or not.

 

Just like always, he stepped to the side, barely glancing up from his phone to acknowledge the town’s local celebrities to avoid bumping shoulders. He confirmed in that glance that yes, everyone else kept an overly respectful distance away from them. Though he thought himself above participating in local drama, he did find a sense of pride in completely ignoring whatever authority the two seemed to have over everyone else around them as they passed by each other.

 

Suddenly, his gut wrenched. His foot barely made it to the sidewalk on the other side of the road when he glanced back in the direction he came from. Had he forgotten something at Zoro’s? No way, he didn’t really bring anything other than  _ Kikoku _ over and that, was firmly strapped to his back--courtesy of a holster Mihawk was kind enough to give him.

 

The only thing of relative, of not slight, importance he saw, was the taller of the two brothers leering at him over his shoulder. It was the one who always wore those tacky, flamingo-pink sunglasses. It was only a moment of their gazes locking, before the man turned and continued across the street, catching up to the other brother. Law lingered for a bit, perhaps out of sheer spite, perhaps out of defiance.

 

What the hell? What was the guy’s problem? There was no way he was still sore about the accidental run-in was he?

 

He watched as the brothers made it to the other side of the road, the smaller of the two stopping while the one who’d glared at him walked on. Just as the man was turning to also give him a look, the taller brother thwapped him on the back of the head in a gesture Law concluded was meant to get him to hurry up. 

 

The feeling of negative deja vu permeated Law’s being as he watched the two walk away. Maybe it was better to just ignore them after what happened earlier. Leaving it at that, he turned and started walking again, only managing two steps before the street flew up to meet his face. 

 

He felt the hot rush of pain that came with the impact. A tingling sensation came with several sharp pains all over him. It was dark, dark and hot.

 

\---

 

_ Law’s eyes fluttered open and he found himself staring at a cold, stone wall. Though the environment around him was bathed in a sickly dark hue, heat flared up from his head. He saw red in one eye--his own blood was steaming down from the stop of his head somewhere all the way down his face. Weary eyes made out the excruciatingly heavy weight on his wrists to be large stone chains. He felt weak.  _ _ Kairōseki _ _? Shit. _

 

_ With a start, he glanced up, dreading only for a moment when his suspicions were confirmed. He was in the “Heart” seat. _

 

Law’s eyes fluttered open, a burning sensation on his chest making him gasp in pain when it caught up with his consciousness. Then came the burning on his hands, both the backs of his hands and each of his knuckles burned. Sitting up, he grunted when his shoulders and forearms burned as well. The cold air made him hiss and he realized he was shirtless.

 

No, not just shirtless.

 

D-...E-...A-...T-...H-…?

 

There were words on his hands. There were weird shapes on the back of his palms, even weirder shapes on his forearms. He practically throttled himself out of bed, feet slapping against the floorboards like wet fish as he made for the bathroom. The mirror confirmed what his gut had told him and what his brain had figured out.

 

He was covered in tattoos.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoot! Another chapter up on the same day? Well, yes. I'm actually running out of things to say. 
> 
> I'll be uploading up to CHAPTER 5 (because that's when shit gets GOOD) today for all of you to enjoy! 
> 
> Please also remember to check out "Kikoku's Dictionary" for help understanding terms such as "Provost" that I made up, as well as "Akuma No Mi" which is from One Piece Canonverse!
> 
> LAW, JUST HURRY AND REMEMBER!


	4. Possessed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Law meets "Marshal" Smoker in an unfortunate encounter. Kikoku keeps being emo.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you haven't already, please check out "Kikoku's Dictionary" for explanations on the words that I use in this fic in Italics! 
> 
> For example: "Marshall" Smoker is 'one of the Military officers that command, manage and organize MP-Bases located around the globe. There can be up to 5 Marshals in charge of several soldiers at a base. Their main priority is aiding the Provost in peacekeeping as well as execution of orders through the chain of command. Marshals are viewed in the same level as Provost, only with more intensive involvement with military operations.'

Law shivered. He didn’t know whether it was from the cold, or whether it was because he felt so beat-down, so vulnerable, reduced to living a shell of what was supposed to be his life. The pills weren’t helping with the lost time.

 

The cafe around them was warm, but it did very little to comfort him. Bepo however, was patient enough to allow Law to lay against the soft fur of his mascot suit as they sat on a couch in the cafe’s corner. Law was curled up, hot chocolate in his hands and bundled up to where he had gloves on his hands and a brown knitted winter shawl around his entire person.

 

“It’s not that bad.” Bepo reassured. “Tattoos are cool.”

 

“I don’t need to be a surgeon with ‘DEATH’ written on both of my hands.” He replied bitterly.

 

The semester was only a week in and Law was already losing hope in ever completing his studies. What kind of patient would want a doctor who looked like this? Surely there was a way to get rid of them, laser surgery was a surefire way to return him to normal. If only the laundry list of side-effects and possible permanent damage wasn’t so extensive. There was that, but also how much such a process on such large areas of skin would cost. His entire back was a lost cause.

 

Bepo sat like a good pillow would, letting Law sulk as much as he wanted, just like when they were kids. Not much has changed between them since then. Law absent-mindedly sipped at his cup, watching the snowfall through wide window from where he sat. He could barely taste the chocolate, the warmth was what he was after.

 

Law let himself sink further into the fur he was laid on, feet sliding on the couch so that he could incline more. “It’s cold.”

 

Bepo’s bear-head turned, the only indicator that he had a response to Law’s statement. After a moment, it turned back again, facing forward so he could sip at his drink. Law’s gaze went from hopelessly counting snowflakes to the reflection of himself in the glass. He saw himself, the him that he became when he lost time, the white crosses decorating the black coat in his reflection confirmed that they were staring at each other. Law and himself. Like his reflection, Law had  _ Kikoku _ tucked into his side, hugging it like he would a security plush toy.

 

Law got up suddenly, but not abruptly, it was a smooth ascension from his lounging position, dragging the shawl with him, almost like a blanket or a robe. He wandered more than walked, to the front of the cafe, pushing the door open with his body in afterthought--to him, the door wasn’t a door, it was simply something in the way.

 

“Law?” Bepo asked, catching the forgotten cup of cocoa on the table Law left behind before it fell off the edge of the table it was so haphazardly placed on.

 

The snow under his layered shows crunched--it was piling high now, he thought, as his chin tilted up, sight going to the sky. Past the tops of the buildings and the trees, it was all grey, cloudy, lonely and featureless.

 

Like the face he could never make out in his dreams.

 

He really should tell his father that the dreams had returned, Law knew, but that would only serve to push him down a path where he was sure somewhere down that line,  _ Kikoku _ would be taken from him. The mere thought of being parted from the  _ nodachi _ made his stomach churn, bile rising in the back of his throat. Law barely heard the chime of the cafe door when Bepo rushed out to him, as he yanked the glove off his right hand.

 

He was too occupied with reaching out for the grey sky, letting whatever snowflakes fell melt on his exposed tattooed skin. The word ‘DEATH’ against the grey, snowing sky made him nostalgic. If only he could remember what memory that nostalgia belonged to. He loved and hated the snow, ever since he was a child. It made him feel lonely and yet he was grateful for the feeling, as if there was something important the pain served to remind him of.

 

_ He lowered his head, feeling a sudden, but recognizable presence behind him. It was snowing everywhere around the two of them now, the buildings had changed. The cafe behind him was gone. Instead, there was a mismatch of textures and walls, fitted together in an ill arrangement. Sometimes what was very obviously the ground was sideways, attached to the ground he and the other him were standing on. Sometimes it was upside down, sometimes it was diagonal. The maze around them was just as fragmented as the memories of his days with lost time. _

 

_ “Kikoku.” Law said to the other him, where they stood back to back _

 

_ The dopple-ganger didn’t respond--swords do not speak in the way humans do. Law couldn’t see it with his own eyes, but like a vision, he could see there were three of them standing there, backs to each other, like his consciousness was a floating third eye. A dream, from a third-person’s view. _

 

_ Kikoku’s head lowered solemnly, Law could make him out clearly now. Though, the third figure, while very obviously himself was still very much hidden. He could only see this third look-a-like’s back, clad in a robe-length hoodie with a word he could see but not read. Like a dyslexic, he knew it was a word, but he just couldn’t understand what the letters were and even less so, what they meant together.  _

 

_ Deciding that he wouldn’t be able to read the word, Law turned his attention to the mess of places around them. Each section of the maze was a memory; he somehow knew. When he looked closer, he realized that the people all around them were merely the same people, over and over again. A black, hulking feathery mass of a man lumbered after what he recognized to be a tiny, young version of himself. _

 

_ Memory after memory, it was him and this man. _

 

_ “Don’t try to find a reason for someone’s love!” _

 

_ Who was that man? _

_   
_ _ “He’s my precious little brother. We’re siblings by blood. If someone so much as touches a hair of his head, I will personally--” _

 

_ “I like how it sounds!” _

 

_ It hurt. It hurt so much. _

 

_ “Say it one more time! C’mon Law, say it-” _

 

“...again.” Bepo’s worried voice brought Law back. “Maybe he’ll come back around in awhile, he always did.”

 

“I used to sleepwalk.” Law suddenly blurted out, startling everyone.

 

He wasn’t surprised to find himself in the classroom, with notes he didn’t remember taking but all complete, open in front of him, pencil in hand, Bepo, Shachi and Penguin surrounding him. He concluded that they must have been trying to initiate a response from him for some time. Law had learned by this point that it didn’t matter how long, since he couldn’t remember what day in the week it was, let alone what time.

 

Shachi and Penguin visibly calmed down, settling into sitting positions around him--Sachi sitting on the table and Penguin on the higher step of the flight of stairs that was near his aisle. Bepo was right where he belonged, seated next to Law.

 

“I don’t know if any of you realized.” He continued, “But there are times when I don’t remember what I’ve done. I’m not conscious when I’m doing things.”

 

The room was quiet save for the other clusters of students who were having little chatting circles of their own.

 

“I remember!” Bepo piped up, voice enthusiastic despite the situation.

 

Law glanced at him, eyebags now a deep, bruising purple. “How long?”

 

“Three days.” Shachi replied, more solemnly than the polar-bear-mascot. “Three days since we found you in the snow in front of Green Bitt.”

 

“That’s funny,” Law laughed wryly. “Isn’t Green Bit supposed to be a tropical place?”

 

Shachi shrugged and looked at Penguin, who shook his head. The wry joke slipped completely over their heads. Law felt a slight tug in his head and turned to find  _ Kikoku _ comfortably laying in Bepo’s lap. He gingerly reached out and grasped the sheath, closing his book and placing it into his backpack.

 

“Three days….today is Wednesday.” Law stated, “So, nothing until one o’clock tomorrow.”

 

“Yeah, but you forgot about our barbeque!” the monkey-like whine from behind Law--unlike his current predicament, did, in fact, catch him off guard.

 

“ _ Mugiwara-ya _ !” Law scolded, turning to face the boy.

 

Bepo, Shachi and Penguin had similar reactions. Apparently, nobody had even noticed that the bouncing nuisance of a boy had not only snuck into their classroom, but also the campus. Did he even go to school here? He wasn’t even old enough to be finished with college was he?

 

“ _ U-shi-shi-shi _ !” Luffy laughed, but the expression of joy changed to one of wonder. “Oh, you seem okay!”

 

Law’s scowl was deep enough to possibly rival the marianas trench.

 

But, Luffy cut him off before he could even begin to form a question. “Zoro said you were sick! But you seem okay now! I mean, you weren’t okay a lot of times before, and even when you were more okay you weren’t really okay. But you seem to be doing much better now! That’s good!”

 

Law yelped when Luffy wrapped his arm around his neck, essentially dragging him out of his chair and towards the door. “Oi! Let go!”

 

“Since we’re having the barbeque tomorrow, let’s go buy meat!” Luffy declared more than suggested. “We’re eating at Zoro’s place! Zoro’s place is huge! Have you been there?”

 

“Gh-!” Law struggled as his friends trailed after the both of them. “I can’t walk like this, stop! Oi!”

 

Why couldn’t he ever disassociate when this damn monkey boy was around?! 

 

“Say, did that  _ Kee-do _ guy bother you again?” The quickfire of questions suddenly came to a slow. 

 

“No. What? Why?” Law found himself struggling to form intelligent thought. Luffy’s mannerisms were as contagious as ever. It was dangerous to be around him for long periods of time--brain cell loss was a definite side-effect from being in close proximity. “You mean Kidd?”

 

“Ah. Yeah.” Luffy dismissed. “That’s good! I heard he broke into your apartment, but he said he didn’t do it. It was that weird old man with the  _ kama _ !”

 

There were so many questions Law wanted to ask, and so many corrections to Luffy’s statements; firstly that Killer wasn’t old, though, yes, he was weird. However once again, he was deprived of the opportunity to ask questions as Luffy kept talking.

 

“So I asked that  _ kama- _ guy!” Luffy grinned. “And he said he did break into your apartment. So I punched him.”

 

“WHAT?!” Law exploded, doubling his efforts to escape to no avail. “YOU CAN’T JUST-”

 

“Eh? Why not? But when I found out he broke into your apartment when you were sleeping, I got really mad.” Luffy of course, never let him finish.

 

Law outwardly groaned, still trying to wrench himself free. “I’ll walk, let go!”

 

Thankfully, Luffy listened this time and that allowed Law the insurance that his neck was going to remain intact. At least for now. However that wasn’t the end of his troubles. He realized this when he was suddenly yanked by the arm to be pulled into hiding; crouching behind a mailbox.

 

“What?!” he yelled. A glance behind him confirmed that his three constant companions were hanging back. Experience had taught all of them that Luffy’s games were dangerous.

 

“Look, look!” Luffy excitedly said, though visibly much quieter than usual. 

 

Taking a peak from behind their makeshift shield, Law spotted a tall, large officer in uniform scoping out the campus. The man had silver hair, slicked back away from his face, which, seemed engraved into a permanent grimace. Law couldn’t quite place the man, that was, until he pulled a case of cigars out of his coat, sticking both into either side of his mouth and lighting them up.

 

““ _ Shi-shi-shi _ !” Luffy snickered, grinning. “Whoops, looks like that guy followed us all the way here!”

 

“The Military Police Marshal, Smoker?” Law questioned. “What did you  _ do _ ?!”

 

The look Luffy gave him told him that he really didn’t think it was a big deal. “Hm? Maa...I think it’s because I wrecked that Arlong guy’s place. But it was bound to happen!”

 

Law refused to mention that none of what Luffy said made even the most remote kind of sense. It would matter very little to the boy himself. “Well, why is it a problem for me? It’s not like he knows we’re friends.”

 

Luffy lit up at that, mouth going agape in a pleased expression. “Uwaa-!”

 

“What’s with that look?” Law grimaced, immediately regretting having said anything.

 

“You said we were friends!” Luffy’s eyes sparkled with glee. “You finally said it!”

 

Law looked up in horror at the volume of Luffy’s voice, he peered over the mailbox to find Smoker looking in their direction and already marching over, shoulder set back and teeth showing. “You idiot, be quiet!” He said, stuffing his hands into Luffy’s face and pushing him down as he straightened himself, popping up from behind the mailbox.

 

Smoker stopped mid-stride upon Law’s appearance. “Ahh, found it.” Law said, pretending to have been looking for something on the ground.

 

He casually walked around from behind the mailbox and making his way down the same path as Smoker. Internally, he was hoping and praying to any god that might’ve been listening that Luffy would remain behind the mailbox. To his relief, Smoker stayed quiet as he got closer.

 

“You there.” He said between puffs of tobacco.

 

Law kept quiet, walking at a steady pace.

 

“Oi.” Smoker repeated. “You. I’m talking to you.”

 

Law paused, finally giving Smoker is attention. “What is it?”

 

Smoker’s leer was hard to miss, especially when Law was looking right at him. “That  _ Odachi _ . Is it yours? You’re not allowed to carry weapons like that out in the open. Do you have a license?” 

 

Law could feel his veins run cold with realization, then burn with anger. What was this guy’s business what he carried around anyway?  _ Kikoku _ was his. “Not with me right now. But if you ask  _ Provost _ Mihawk, he’ll confirm I have one.”

 

Smoker’s brow quirked a mere fraction, it was barely noticeable but Law caught it. “Is that so?”

 

Law’s heart pounded in his chest--Zoro’s father had ties with the military with his position as a  _ Provost _ . Even if  _ Provost _ Mihawk didn’t back him up, he could at least get away from his situation here and now.

 

“Well don’t wear it openly on campus without your license.” Smoker pushed, taking a step towards Law. “I’m going to have to have you escorted to the Dean. I won’t book you here and now for a violation, but we’ll let the school deal with you.”

 

Law held back a swear. What could he do now? Think,  _ think _ ! “Well, I’m late for--”

 

His sentence cut off in the middle when his vision began to tilt. No, no, not  _ now _ ! Law tried to focus, a gasp of surprise escaping his lips as he tried to bring himself back to the moment. Pills! Even if they served only as a placebo at this point, perhaps it was all he needed. He reached for his pocket and pulled the bottle out.

 

“Smoker- _ san _ ?” Tashigi came over, concerned at the way whomever her superior was talking to was suddenly acting.

 

Law himself couldn’t tell, but he had begun to stagger back. Smoker was caught off-guard by the sudden move, however he put two and two together when Law pulled the bottle of pills out.

 

“Oi, are you feeling alright there, son?” He asked, reaching out to try and catch the younger man. “ _ Hey _ ! Can you hear me?!”

 

Law’s fingers fumbled and the pill bottle dropped. His eyes began to lose their focus and his legs gave. Plush, white, furry arms caught him as he fell. Bepo pulled Law into an embrace, pressing him into the plush fur of his suit.

 

“Please excuse us!” Bepo spoke up. “He isn’t very well! Sleep deprivation!”

 

Smoker didn’t offer a reply, instead keeping a slight distance between himself and the students as Shachi and Penguin came rushing in as well. Tashigi’s expression grew grave when she realized that the other had fainted. Quickly, Bepo shuffled away from the marshall, Law barely conscious at that point. 

 

_ “This island is off-limits to even those concerned with the government, Law!” _

 

_ “Well then, that means you too.” _

 

Law turned his head, seeing Luffy out of his peripheral sprint out from behind the mailbox after them as he looked at Smoker, who was already making his way elsewhere. Even from behind, he recognized him, knew him, more than just as Military Police Marshal…

 

“ _ Torao _ ! What happened! Are you hungry?!” Luffy inquired with concern, keeping pace with Bepo.

 

“Mind your own business.” Law groaned; though the reply was meant for Smoker, he didn’t clarify.

 

_ Kikoku _ looked down at Law’s form, sprawled on the bed, surrounded by his concerned friends. He could hear everything, see everyone. For once, he wasn’t losing time.  _ Kikoku _ was there, right there, looking like a solid, real person, until Luffy or someone else passed right through him as they scrambled around his apartment to try and get him to respond. Law couldn’t move--his arms and legs felt like led and his spirit even heavier than that. Law glared at Kikoku, who simply looked on at him with the same melancholic face. Law could no longer tell whether his hallucinations were just that or if he was still lucid and all of this was very much real.

 

Why did he always look so sad? Just what feelings were pent up in that form? Why couldn’t this damn  _ nodachi _ just say something?! He’d had enough of this cycle, of denying the lost time, of ignoring it, of being clueless about what it all meant.

 

_ Enough _ !

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for reading! If you like my writing, please consider helping me move out of my parent's house by donating to me at ko-fi.com/mossybrows!
> 
> If you'd like to take a look at some of my art, visit mossybrows-draws.tumblr.com!


	5. Symbiotic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cora-san...?
> 
> Also a new cover GIF!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New cover, everyone! If you like my work, please consider supporting me on ko-fi.com/mossybrows to get faster updates! It'll really help me with moving into my own place for the first time!

 

“If there’s something I need to remember, something I need to know, just tell me! Show me!” Law demanded, heat rising in his ears as he yelled at the inanimate object leaning against his wall.

 

 _Kikoku_ however, remained silent. Too silent. It had been a week since Law had stopped losing time...and it was driving him insane.

 

The memory that was creeping closer and closer, strangling his consciousness like a vice because he couldn’t remember was now lost to him. It had been there, almost close enough to touch! And yet, he hadn’t seen any more hallucinations. He hadn’t woken up to find himself in the middle of a conversation he couldn’t remember starting, in a place he couldn’t remember making his way to.

 

“Who is he?” Law asked in a softer, defeated tone. “I...even as a kid...I was looking for that person. Why?”

 

 _Kikoku_ didn’t so much as resonate.

 

Law would’ve continued the pointless conversation, but he knew there was no point. He looked at his palm, opening and closing his fist, reading the word DEATH over and over again. He felt...more like himself than he had his entire life. Everything felt so much more real when compared to before he had found the _nodachi_ and started losing time. Slowly, he was growing more and more accustomed to the random spikes of intuition. He knew things he wasn’t supposed to know and had no way of knowing.

 

Baby’s Clean-Up service was a secret arms stash for all kinds of firearms and ammunition. Gladius’ Demolition shop had stockpiles of high explosives that went undocumented to sell to the black market. Viola’s Dance Class was a front for an underground spy network all feeding information to….somewhere. Green Bitt was the worst realization of them all. It was where those of the government secretly met people from the underworld.

 

But what was he supposed to do with all this enlightened information? It wasn’t like he had any business spouting what he knew would be taken as mere wild speculation to the military police. It was bad enough that Marshal Smoker had started keeping tabs on him since his dramatic fainting incident. He’d carried Kikoku around, stuck in a carrying case since then. He still had Kikoku with him at all times, but not getting to hold him and feel the sheathe against his fingers was becoming agitating.

 

Law should’ve been grateful. He had stopped missing pieces of the days. He was able to attentively be in his classes and be involved in conversations and debates. This is what he wanted, wasn’t it? He wanted to be a doctor, just like his parents. So then why did it feel like, this complete life, this normal life that he’d yearned for was missing something? Surely he couldn’t possibly want the stolen gaps of time to occur again? How could such a fragmented life feel more fulfilling than the stable one he was living now?

 

He was missing someone in his life. That, was the only fact he was sure of.

 

“I’ll find him.” Law declared to the _nodachi_. “I have to. Even if you’re not going to help me.”

 

Law clicked the button on his phone and the screen came to life, reading the clock. It was time for his microbiology class. He was thankful that at least, thanks to him no longer losing time, he could concentrate where it was important. Getting through University was just one step closer to his dream of becoming a surgeon, he still had to get through Medical College. All these years and his parents efforts would go to waste if he started slipping now.

 

It was colder outside now, the snow had started piling up in the worst way. The inches of white crunched under his boots and Law found himself relieved to find Bepo, in his polar bear suit as always, waiting for him at the bus stop. Today’s class was on the other side of campus to the usual classes, which meant it was practically on the other side of town. Bepo had started making time to accompany him on his free days when he wasn’t busy with his own pediatric courses.

 

“How are the kids at the daycare?” Law offered as his hello.

 

Bepo nodded. “They like my suit. They call me Mister White Bear!”

 

Law smiled at his friend. “That’s good. I told you, you can live however you like. There’s always a way.”

 

Bepo had been shy since he was a child, the polar bear suit was something he’d always had on. Law would be unphased if he found out that Bepo had a closet full of them; it always smelled so nice and clean when Law used him as a pillow. Bepo had agoraphobia along with his shyness, which made being outside everyday in order to go to school, shopping, or just live a normal life difficult. The bear suit made him feel like he wasn’t really interacting with the world.

 

As the bus started to move, Law leaned against Bepo instead of holding onto the railing. He recalled how honored he felt, the first time Bepo had taken the suit off in front of him to shake his hand properly. He kept the bear head on, but the fact that Bepo hadn’t done that even for his own parents was touching.

 

“You remember when we first met?” Law suddenly inquired. “Shachi and Penguin were beating you up when you tried to say hello. Say, why did you go over to say hello?”

 

Bepo, despite being stuck in a suit, expressed himself with a shrug and a tilt of the bear head. He reached up with a furry paw and scratched the side of the bear head. Law uttered a small chuckle.

 

“It’s stupid.” Bepo replied.

 

“It’s not.” Law insisted. “You’re my security bear because I hate the snow. The fact that I need one is more stupid. C’mon.”

 

“I...I wanted to make friends. Shachi and Penguin were winter animal names so I thought we’d get along even though I was a polar bear.” Bepo explained, visibly flinching in preparation for the laugh he knew was coming.

 

Law didn’t laugh. He simply turned his head back around to look at the window. He smiled. “I see. That makes sense. Now I feel bad for letting them off so easily.”

 

“Why are you suddenly asking?” Bepo questioned this time.

 

Law sighed. “I was just...remembering things. Mom, dad and Lami...growing up...it’s all so...normal. Like it was meant to be. Bepo, the first time you met Shachi and Penguin...was it the same reason as this time? Because you all had winter names?”

 

“ _Captain_ , are you feeling alright?” Bepo queried, concerned.

 

“Yeah.” Law replied, yawning, only half paying attention. “But I wish we had snagged a few seats in the back so I could nap against you instead of standing here.”

 

It wasn’t a very long ride, fifteen minutes due to the snow. Law had begrudgingly woken himself back up enough to get to class as Bepo sat in with him to serve as a companion. It was like Law never left home, he realized. Nothing much had changed. Sure the classes were harder, the place was different, but he still had his three friends; one of which was a constantly present security bear. Not to mention, the inescapable attachment to Luffy and the rest of his crew.

 

But why was there still someone missing? Who could it possibly be?

 

Law let the question stew in the back of his mind, even as he pushed it aside to pay attention to the introductory class. Once done, he woke Bepo, who had fallen asleep on the bench beside him and gently coaxed him out of his grogginess with an offer of coffee on him.

 

The peaceful pace of their lives was suffocating. This was something he realized he had been feeling since he stopped losing time, just as he and Beppo made their way to the bus stop again.

 

“Ah, I forgot my notebook for my afternoon class.” Bepo remembered, checking his sling bag.

 

“Oh.” Law reached out to steady his friend as the bus went over a slight bump in the road. “Just come meet me at the usual?”

 

“Swallow’s Lunchin?” Bepo asked, voice filled with guilt.

 

“Yeah, go get what you need. I’ll get us a table.” Law confirmed in a reassuring tone.

 

The bus stopped and they both got off. It was all so...normal. The idle conversation. The everyday banther. It felt fake.

 

“I’ll see you there!” Bepo said, hugging Law one more time before bolting off in the direction of his place.

 

Despite the lingering feeling of a missing piece in his memory, Law couldn’t help but smile at the hug. It felt warmer than every other time before. Law felt like, it was something _right_ and _real_ in the entire world around him that felt _wrong_ and _fake_ . He sighed, swinging the case off his arm and removing _Kikoku_ from it, grasping the _nodachi_. He felt the ground against his feet firmly after hoisting it over his shoulder as he walked. It was like a soothing balm over the uneasy feelings he had. Granted, he’d have to run if he saw Marshall Smoker again. He contemplated his feelings as he trudged through the snow to the new hangout he and the others had decided to start frequenting. After the incident in front of Green Bit, Law had been too embarrassed to venture there again.

 

They settled in at Swallow’s Lunchin, Law gently cradling _Kikoku_ against his side the entire time they were seated. With the passing hour, Shachi and penguin arrived, the usual greetings and catching up proceeded. Though the feeling of _wrongness_ was still there in the back of Law’s mind, being with the other three and having _Kikoku_ at his side made everything feel _right_.

 

“ _Senchou_ should let himself sleep more too!” Shachi exclaimed in the middle of their conversation.

 

“What?” Law interjected.

 

“You’re all pale, _Senchou_.” Penguin elaborated. “And your eyebags are always awful.”

 

“Not that.” Law clarified, a small frown gracing his features. “You two...you just called me _Senchou_...”

 

Penguin and Shachi gave each other a look before turning back to Law, concern on each of their features.

 

Beppo piped up for the sake of his friends. “Isn’t that a given?”

 

“Since when?” Law demanded--but from the look all three friends shared, he could already tell they were chalking it up to one of his fits.

 

“Don’t you like it anymore?” Penguin asked. “We can call you something else, if you’d like but...it’d be weird not calling you _Captain_.”

 

“No. It’s not like I hate it.” Law sighed in exasperation. He really shouldn’t be surprised anymore at this point. “Forget I mentioned it.”

 

But the exchange had Law smiling. _Captain_. He liked it, at lot, in fact. Since Law seemed placated, Shachi, penguin and Beppo decided to ignore the strange outburst. It wasn’t like it was anything new at this point. Besides, Law was Law.

 

“Oh, did you hear that they caught another one at school?” Shachi brought up. “That’s the fifth one this month.”

 

“That’s scary.” Penguin commented.

 

“Yeah, looks like there’s some kind of poisonous substance in the ecstacy the kids here have been dealing out. I knew college life was wild, but…” Shachi shook his head.

 

“NHC-10?” Law asked. “Isn’t that illegal?”

 

It was familiar drug, having been invented back during the mysterious maritime era, among other strange things the government had decided were too dangerous to be out in public.

 

“So are Zoro-kun’s _katana_.” Beppo mentioned.

 

Law still remembered the exchange from last week when Tashigi caught sight of Zoro’s _katana_ and wanted to confiscate them for being ‘blacklisted-weapons’. They may have lived in peace, worrying about homework, using public transport, hanging out in cafes and leading normal lives...but there were still so many secrets the government was hiding under all that. Law found himself surprisingly irritated at the notion. What were they? Children to be placated by the fixations of loans, entertainment and protected in a bubble?

 

Law could see past the lies now. “Something is brewing in this city. What about our two local celebrities?”

 

Bepo raised a paw. “Captain is interested in political scandals?”

 

Law smiled. “Maybe.” It would make sense that the two very famous Donquixote brothers would be out and about so publicly. If one wanted to have underground dealings go by unnoticed, why not have a distraction?

 

“Maa, there’s not much, just stuff the singles would be interested in.” Shachi waved it off. “You’ve only got articles like ‘Rocinante’s smile ranked number one of top fifteen royal smiles’ and stuff like that.”

 

“I expected as much.” Law replied. It was fitting.

 

Who would pay attention to how many students had become sick from some illegal drug when there were two powerful, desirable bachelors milling about town? Who would care that shady boxes of was definitely not detergent were being moved in and out of a cleaning service when the two blond former princes were enjoying their wine and tea across the street?

 

“Honestly it’s not even that great.” Penguin griped, scrolling down his phone to the article’s picture. “He looks kinda like a creep.”

 

The picture held a caption reading: “Donquixote Rocinante shows off his devilishly handsome smile.” Law frowned at the sinister looking grin on Rocinante’s face, illuminated by firelight from a lighter as he lit up a cigarette just as the picture was taken. It looked _wrong_ . Like the way the world felt _wrong_ . A _facade_.

 

Law got up. “Restroom.” he said, briskly walking away from the table.

 

Swallow’s Lunchin was smaller than Green Bitt, so only had three single bathrooms: male, female and disabled. At first, he made his way towards the disabled bathroom, only to turn at a last minute decision and head for the male bathroom, locking the door as soon as he closed it behind him with one hand, Kikoku in the other. He set the sword against the door, like a sentry.

 

He removed his sweater, hanging it on the door, then lifted the thermal turtleneck he had on, revealing the large black heart on his torso. The strange shape in the middle of the heart...he knew what it was now.

 

A smile.

 

Law’s chest tightened and he heard the voices again. Clearly, like they were right there with him in the tiny, storage-closet-sized bathroom.

 

_“I’ll die smiling!”_

 

His vision blurred, but the world stayed where it was, all _wrong_ , all _here_ , all _real_. The culprit for the distortion from his vision was confirmed when he felt a hot wetness slide down his face. His chest tightened with a powerful, uncontrollable grief.

 

_“I love you!”_

 

Law’s hand shot out to grip the side of the sink as he heaved, the tears being the only kind of water making their way down the drain the entire time he was in the bathroom. He clenched his teeth, unable tos top them from falling, taking hissing breaths so as not to cry out loud entirely.

 

If whoever that was in his dreams was so important...how could he forget someone like that?

 

Law exited the bathroom only when he was sure that the redness of his nose wasn’t obvious. He mentally apologized to whomever owned the cafe for using up so many tissues. Beppo got up as soon as he arrived back at their table, feeling ready to go home.

 

“I have class now!” Bepo said with contagious enthusiasm.

 

Law tilted his head. “Yeah, go ahead.”

 

Shachi and Penguin were already making passes at each other, as subtle as they were trying to be. Law paid it no mind, not like it was anything new. But he did feel it appropriate for all of them to leave the two possible lovebirds be.

 

“I’m heading back.” He declared, taking his things. “Homework.”

 

“Eh, let’s walk you home.” Shachi offered, already getting up.

 

Law shrugged it off. “I haven’t lost time for a good month or so now. I’ll be fine.”

 

Both Shachi and Penguin knew there was no arguing at that point. Law left them without so much as a glance. It felt natural, like he didn’t need to let them know how much he actually cared for them--they already knew.

 

\--

 

Law felt a groan escape from himself when he spotted two distinct figures from across the street. It was that moment Law decided; crosswalks were cursed. Or maybe it was the saying: speak of the devil and he shall appear. Maybe gossiping about the two personalities was what brought them out. He began taking out his earphones to block out the oncoming gossip from the other people on the street who were beginning to take notice of the same two men, when the nausea hit him.

 

 _Kikoku_?

 

His stomach dropped deep into his gut, slipping further and further into anxiety as he finally got a good look at the two men. Even as a student ran by in front of them, cutting through his vision, he remained completely focused on the brothers, standing on the sidewalk. The taller of the two adjusted his sunglasses, head tilting slightly as his finger pushed the nose of the pink-lensed framed higher on his face. The other was lighting a placing a cigarette in his mouth, shoulders relaxing as he lowered his hands. Both adjusted their gaze in his direction.

 

The smile the larger man gave him made Law feel sick somehow. Why were they looking at him? Was it _Kikoku_ ? Surely if Zoro could casually carry around his three _katana_ wherever he went, they shouldn’t even consider him as an anomaly. Law could feel regard them with interest as he stared back, having been caught staring.

 

The voices around him were silent. He could see people talking, whispering, mouths moving, but he couldn’t hear anything. He didn’t hear Kikoku clatter to the ground.

 

_Law spun around, looking for the other him, finally able to move, finally able to see and not just imagine Kikoku’s back, a figure that mirrored his own, covered in a black mourning coat with white crosses like his sheathe. Desperately, he reached out to grab Kikoku by the shoulder._

 

_Please!_

 

_But Kikoku vanished, Law’s hand went right through him, grasping nothing. He felt alone, empty. Why? Where had Kikoku gone? Why had he left him so suddenly?_

 

_The feelings Kikoku held as a mirror of Law...they weren’t needed anymore._

 

Not able to comprehend what just happened, Law stood there eyes searching the scene in front of him. He found a large plume of feathers obscuring his vision of the street. A ringing in his ears as all the sounds he missed suddenly came all at once. The voices, his own panicked breathing and finally the clatter of _Kikoku’s_ sheathe as the _nodachi_ fell, slipping right out from between his fingers.

 

Rocinante picked up the nodachi, straightening himself as he regarded the young man. The black feather coat vanished--an illusion, a memory--leaving an ordinarily-dressed Rocinante in front of Law.

 

_“Walk, Law. Unnoticed...quietly...far away...far, far away…”_

 

The snow fell around them, Law’s mouth open as he felt his own throat cry out in despair-filled wails, but there was no sound. He walked through the cold, leaving the only person left in the world who loved him behind. Yet there he was, standing in the middle of the road at the crosswalk.

 

_“-nothing will bind you anymore...not the iron borders of the White City…”_

 

He saw his home, the hospital burn down. The bodies of his parents along with Lami, still hiding in the closet. He could hear the flames crackling. Yet there he was, standing in the middle of the road at the crosswalk.

 

_“-nor your shortened lifespan. Nothing will restrict you anymore. You are now…”_

 

He saw that smile, that stupid, stupid smile. It was so ugly and ridiculous. The tooth missing from the idiotic face only made it less attractive. He screamed in terror--it was the ugliest smile he had ever seen, even the peace sign the man offered couldn’t have made it any better. But here he still was, standing in the middle of the road at the crosswalk.

 

_“-truly free.”_

 

Law gasped, shock, realization, confusion, overwhelming joy all at once as he let the presence of the man before him hit him full force. Rocinante offered him the _nodachi_ , pausing when Law simply stared at him, an expression that was both horror and anguish on his face. Law could only offer a mere slight shake of his head in disbelief.

 

“ _Cora-san…_ ” Law breathed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohohoh boy! Any theories now that they've met anyone? I'd love to know your thoughts! Please don't be shy about leaving your comments on this! Did you like it? Did you hate it? This is my second One Piece fic ever, I usually do art!
> 
> Speaking of art, you can visit mossybrows-draws.tumblr.com if you wanna see some ZoSan art by me! If you have any requests from this fic or anything, please let me know! I might end up drawing this!
> 
> If you like my work, remember I'd appreciate all your support! Simply visit ko-fi.com/mossybrows if you'd want to help me out! Thank you and I love you all! <3


	6. Cora-san

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rocinante’s smile was tender and full of giddy joy. It was a stupid smile. He requested Law to call him one more time, raising his index finger...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been a long while! I'm really sorry for the lack of updates. I entered my hiatus a couple months ago, so yeah...work's been tough and I'm trying to get stuff going as well! I'm sorry!
> 
> I hope you enjoy this next one!
> 
> Honestly, I made a playlist I like to listen to when I write this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tx8eM3OclRk&index=4&list=PLjstPSeopdiAnEIPIAyXJ4Bjru0TqCCtO

  
__  
Rocinante’s smile was tender and full of giddy joy. It was a stupid smile. He requested Law to call him one more time, raising his index finger.   


 

_ “I like how it sounds!” he man’s grin took up the entire lower half of his face. “Say it one more time!” _

 

“ _ Cora-san… _ ” Law breathed.

 

Rocinante stared at Law, Kikoku in hand. Law couldn’t process anything. What was he supposed to do? What was he supposed to even _think,_ to start?!  He wanted to scream, he wanted to lunge at the man and hug him, to cry and start telling him everything. His life, how he had failed, how Mugiwara had--no. No wait. That was wrong. He was...wasn’t...was he…?

 

What was he?

 

Rocinante removed his shades, his sharp red eyes looking gravely at Law. He shoved Kikoku roughly into the student’s hands. Law could only react by grasping his nodachi for dear life. He hadn’t caught up with the moment, let alone caught enough to respond to what happened next. He saw Rocinante tighten his painted lips--those same, stupid, clowny, painted lips, before shoving him roughly back. Law staggered, then stumbled, falling onto his back in the snow.

 

Instinct told him to get up and run. He understood. He  _ knew _ .

 

Rocinante’s shades were back on when Law got to his feet and ran away, making it back to Swallow’s Lunchin, much to Shachi and Penguin’s mutual surprise. The two flirts pulled away from each other’s space when Law came tumbling into the cafe. Kikoku clattered to the floor as he made contact with the carpet.

 

“ _ Senchou _ !” Shachi gasped, his chair clattering to the ground.

 

Penguin’s chair followed suit. “What happened?! Are you alright?!”

 

Law couldn’t breathe, the place Rocinante had touched burned. It hurt. It hurt more than the bullets he remembered Doflamingo firing into his weakened body. It hurt more than when he had lost his right arm, The agony of having Cora-san push him away after all this time was overwhelming.

 

“Uwa--!” Law gritted his teeth, yanking his hat down over his watering eyes. “Ghh-! Uhk-!” His shoulders shook, even as Shachi and Penguin held him fast.

 

_ Cora-san…! _ That was all Law could think about. Even if it burned to be shoved aside so roughly, he remembered! He remembered  _ Cora-san _ ! He let the emotions take him, like a balloon filled with water, ready to burst. 

 

“We need to go!” Penguin exclaimed, getting up. “Mister Diez! Here’s for our food and coffee, please keep the change!” He slammed the money on the counter.

 

Diez Barrels barely looked up from where he was taking notes on something or other, before waving a dismissive hand. Penguin didn’t notice, he was already sprinting back to Law, who was being helped up by Shachi.

 

“Let’s go somewhere private.” Shachi insisted and Penguin wasn’t one to disagree.

 

Law could only let his two friends maneuver him, merely managing a stifled cry of  “Ba-ack!”

 

Shachi immediately changed course, heading out the back door. Penguin, suspicious, turned back to where Law had just run from. He saw the two blond men and frowned.

 

“The Donquixote brothers?” He wondered, picking up the pace to get Law somewhere deserted.

 

They exited into the alley behind the row of shops and restaurants, heading down to the very end of it, where it met Fleet Street. The street was mostly deserted by passersby, students and whoever alike most days, due to it being primarily used for access to the Military Police Base-Vega that took up five blocks on it. At least here, it would be relatively safe.

 

“UWAAAAAAAH!” Law’s will ruptured in an ironic reflection of the first time Rocinante’s soundproof bubble popped. 

 

He wailed, his voice echoing into the street. The bustle of marine cars and marches drowned out his cries. Shachi and Penguin remained with him, silently watching over their dear captain’s breakdown. Law cried, he screamed, he wailed until his voice was almost gone and his throat was sore. And then he bawled some more. 

 

_ Law breathed deep, trying to calm his racing heart and take note of where his body hurt the most. This was the seat where Cora-san would have sat if he had been alive. The heart seat. But instead, here he was, sitting in a place where he was meant to be. It was ironic and yet fitting; a perfect allegory for how Cora-san had died for him so that he could keep on living, just as the White Lead Disease was about to take him. He shut his eyes, imagining he was alone in that chair, ignoring Baby 5 and the Doffy clone. _

 

_ He sat there, running scenarios through his head. If he was going to die like this then...if there was a life to come, a life after this one, he wanted to at least meet Cora-san again. If nothing else. He would personally apologize for not being able to avenge his death. He would say sorry for not being able to live a full life after Cora-san had sacrificed himself so he could do so. He would tell Cora-san stories of how he met Beppo, Shachi, Penguin and everyone else in his 20-man crew. He would say that he lived a fun life and that he was happy to die thinking of him till the very end. _

 

_ If he could meet Cora-san again… _

 

_ Law opened his eyes and suddenly he was in a blank, white world. He felt Kikoku, always at his side. But...there was someone else, someone...new.  _

 

_ “ _ If there’s something I need to remember, something I need to know, just tell me! Show me!”

 

_ Law exhaled slowly. Kikoku had heard him? Oh... _

 

“Who is he? I...even as a kid...I was looking for that person. Why?”

 

_ Law snorted. Who was this new guy? How pathetic, just like he was as a child...knowing nothing. Well, if he needed it to be pointed out so plainly… _

 

“ _ Cora-san… _ ” Law breathed.

 

_ Oh. It’s Cora-san. Cora-san? Cora-san! _

 

Law dry-heaved, vomiting the contents of his stomach along with all the salty tears and mucus he had accidentally swallowed in his fit. He coughed, throwing up some more as Shachi patted his back. Penguin meanwhile had his back turned to the two of them, facing the opening to the alleyway, where a large, menacing shadow loomed over them. The smell of tobacco only served to make Law feel sicker.

 

“S’cuse me.” Smoker ground out, putting both his cigars out and away, planning to save them for later.

 

“B’ow...longh…” Law choked out.

 

“Been standing here for a good fifteen minutes, brat.” Smoker replied. “You feeling better now?”

 

Law managed a weak chuckle. “Of all the situations to be in when I come back…”

 

“C’mon. I let you go for carrying that  _ odachi _ around once. This time, you’re coming with me.” Smoker dictated with authority.

 

Law was still in slight delirium, everything hurt, everything spun, everything made him feel sick. By the time he had finally steadied his gaze, he was surprised to find himself in what was very much an infirmary. Kikoku was very much still in his possession. Smoker loomed over all three of them as Shachi and Penguin kept Law company and the nurse tended to Law. He was shirtless and being prodded and poked at. By the time he was being asked to follow a finger from left to right then right to left, Smoker spoke up.

 

“Okay kiddo, why you crying like the world’s going to end? Girlfriend?” The marine--no, police marshall asked, stern voice making it difficult for Law to tell whether it was a joke or not. “Boyfriend?”

 

Was this guy serious? He was going for the typical University student drama angle? Law wasn’t sure, but it sounded like Smoker was taking him for any average broken heart. He had no idea just how many times Law had just felt his heart shatter into bits and pieces and shredded over and over again in the last fifteen minutes. It was literally, a heartbreak worth millenia.

 

Law sighed a broken sigh, his throat felt like hell and his voice sounded worse. “No, he’s just a nuisance mostly, not the reason for this.” He was too tired for this; deciding to instead run with the idea that it was a sarcastic joke.

 

“Hmph.” Smoker grunted, actually smirking with a bit of humor. “Really? Don’t believe you.”

 

“Yeah. He’s a bouncing rubber ball of hunger. Nothing to worry about.” Law replied with a bit more bite and with just as much sarcasm as Smoker was handing him.

 

Damn. When was this marine going to let him go? He couldn’t blame Shachi or Penguin for bringing him right to the mouth of the lion’s den. They didn’t know, as far as he was concerned. What was important was for all three of them to get out of there safely.

 

“You’re all set, dear.” The nurse said with a smile. “You’ll definitely have a sore throat for a few days, so try not to talk too much while it heals.”

 

“I-kn...know.” Law replied with a cough, voice breaking. “I’m a doc-...med student.” He corrected himself quickly. Hopefully the ‘doc’ sounded like part of another cough.

 

Smoker’s leer was getting to him. Was he going to arrest him for  _ Kikoku _ again? What even was with that stupid law anyway? Is this where society had gone in the last few thousand years? He had so many questions. 

 

“ _ Room _ .” Law tested.

 

Nothing happened. No thin blue film. No surge of energy from his person. Shit. No powers. No  _ Akuma No Mi. _

 

“Hm?” Smoker asked. “You’re in the med clinic, civilians only. It’d be too much commotion elsewhere.” 

 

Law sighed through his nose--there was another method he could try. “I’m going to be late for class…”

 

“You’re going to go like that?” Smoker raised a brow. “Why the hurry? Law, wasn’t it?”

 

Law stayed quiet, swollen, bruised eyes and red nose making it difficult to look as annoyed or as threatening as he wanted to. He took note of the fact that Smoker already knew his name--guess the military force of today was just as nosy as usual. He wasn’t in a position to fight, not without the  _ Ope-Ope’s _ power. Smoker’s expression remained unreadable for a few moments, before he seemed to make a decision.

 

“Alright. I can drop you boys off at the edge of campus. But I’m not walking you in. Don’t need me looking like we had anything to do with why you were balling like a kid.” Smoker got up from where he was leaning against the wall.

 

Law eagerly followed,  _ Kikoku _ over his shoulder as always. He looked around--it was almost just like a marine base, only...the uniforms weren’t white and they actually looked like they’d padded their clothes with armor. Guns were scarier now too, he remembered.

 

This was a world without One Piece, a world without  _ Akuma No Mi _ . Had anyone else remembered? Surely, if Bepo, Shachi and Penguin had called him Captain...then they had to know? No...perhaps it was...didn’t they always call him Captain? They did...of course they did.

 

That wasn’t important right now, Law reminded himself. His thoughts drifted back to  _ Cora-san _ . Doflamingo was alive. Baby-5 was alive--come to think of it, he forgot what her real name was, Buffalo's as well...was he alive? Law hadn’t seen him. Gladius was in town, and very much still into explosives, Violet was here. Whose side was she on? Was there even a side.

 

He needed to know more.

 

“Here you go, kiddos.” Smoker announced, no humor in his voice.

 

Law was just glad to see the mari--marshall, leave. He turned to find Shachi and Penguin both giving him a thumbs up.

 

“That was amazing Captain!” Penguin declared.

 

Shachi agreed. “That was a smooth lie!”

 

Law didn’t frown or smile. “...I actually do have a class today.”

 

“HAH?!” both said in unison.

 

“...but I’m not going.” Law replied. “Don’t need to.”

 

He was a surgeon. As far as he remembered, technology hadn’t really changed when it came to operating systems. Seems that somewhere in the past after the _ Dai Kaizoku Jidai _ , there must have been a wiping of civilization. Mankind must have had to restart somewhere again to get to this point.

 

“I’m going to lie down.” Law excused. “You guys have things to do?”

 

He didn’t wait for a reply, though Shachi and Penguin did start making their own excuses. 

 

Penguin was quick to try and stall him. “Are you sure?”

 

“We could stay till Bepo comes back.” Shachi offered.

 

“I’m fine.” Law insisted, throat still croaking, much to his annoyance. “I’ll call you if there’s anything else.”

 

It was strange, how convenient it was to call anyone from any distance, anywhere in the world. A convenience that humans took for granted. He found himself amused at how much people would complain about  _ Den Den Mushi _ needing to be within a certain proximity to work due to radio waves. Radio was dying even in this new era.

 

Law let more thoughts swim into his head, musing at some and frowning at others. By the time he had caught up with all his memories and compared them to one another, he was laying in bed and had come to a decision.

 

He was going to meet  _ Cora-san _ alone.

 

“ _ Mugiwara-ya _ .” Law spoke into the phone as soon as the speed dial went through. 

 

“ _ Torao _ !” Luffy’s voice was as usual, cheerful and full of energy. “You sound awful! Did something happen?”

 

“Come over.” Law demanded.

 

Law, despite himself, had of course failed to anticipate Luffy's enthusiasm. Soon, the entire  _ Mugiwara no Ichimi _ was once again, invading his private space. He wasn’t even upset anymore. It was thousands of years too late to be upset at them. He was upset at himself.

 

“Listen.” He spoke to Luffy alone, while the rest of his crew goofed off and did whatever the hell they wanted behind him. He didn’t mind, they probably didn’t know any better. They probably didn’t know what he knew. “Your...grandpa...”

 

“Hm?” Luffy’s full attention was at Law, even if he was trying to cram an entire chicken leg into his non-rubbery cheek. “You mean  _ Ji-ji _ ? What about him?”

 

Law grimaced at the way Luffy was stuffing himself. He didn’t stretch anymore, didn’t that hurt? Then again, he’d seen Ace and Sabo eat. Did those three even comprehend pain? Maybe their pain receptors were damaged somehow. Shit. He was getting distracted.

 

“Does he talk about his work?” Law inquired, trying not to sound too eager. 

 

“Wait a minute!” Nami butted in, hand pushing down on Luffy’s head in order to get into Law’s face. “What are you planning?!”

 

Law didn’t let his surprise show. “What?”

 

“Last time you got us involved in your little plans, we nearly got killed!” Nami complained. “ _ Spill _ !”

 

A bead of sweat trailed down the side of Law’s face as he regarded her with incredulity. She was still as sharp as ever. That could prove to be a problem if he didn’t lie well. But perhaps she had a point.

 

“I want to meet someone from the Donquixote Family.” Law admitted flatly. “That’s it.”

 

Nami was shocked. “Ehh?! That...you...you’re…”

 

The apartment went silent. The first two to notice the exchange were Zoro and Sanji, followed by Robin, then the rest of the crew.

 

“Huh.” Zoro huffed.

 

Sanji complimented with, “Well.”

 

Luffy bounced back up, Nami’s interruption hadn’t phased him at all. “ _ Torao _ ! You remember! Finally!”

 

Law’s eyes went wide, then he glared at them all suspiciously. “... _ what _ ?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There we go! Law's coming back! I hope you guys enjoyed this! Don't forget that you can support more work from me on either ko-fi.com/mossybrows or patreon.com/mossybrows
> 
> I know that my updates are lacking lately, but I'm trying to fix that! I really hope I find some balance soon! I really miss making fanart and fanfiction! I'll be updating this fic in the future with some art! I'll be posting said art on patreon when it's done! Please look forward to it and forgive me for my absence!


	7. Trafalgar D Water Law

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The captain of the Heart Pirates would be nothing without his true heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was really happy with how the GIF turned out, so I decided to post this early since I think it'll be a busy week! I might as well leave you with whatever updates I can give! Thank you much for your support and feedback!
> 
> Don't forget, if you want to see more work from me, or get the art as a full size download, consider supporting me on patreon.com/mossybrows!

  


 

Law cringed, wishing that he was anywhere but in this very position that he had just put himself into. Luffy was laughing and that just made the fact that he had dug his own grave, so much _worse_. He struggled to break away from the hugging session that was very quickly threatening to turn into a dogpile on him.

 

“You’re such a good guy!” Usopp wept, tears dramatically streaming down his face in rivers onto Law’s floor. “Even after you forgot, you remembered! And you still held onto your feelings for your special person”

 

Chopper--who used to be one of Beppo’s patients from the daycare for the same anthrophobia he had-- came over in his reindeer suit and started crying as well. Of course, Franky had to follow, wailing his ‘super cool’ manly wails.

 

“Even though it’s been so long!” Franky choked. “You still want to risk your life! for-”

 

“Why are you all crying?!” Law demanded, yelling and making his voice crack.

 

Luffy’s laughter got louder. “You sounded like a cat, _Torao_!”

 

“Yosh.” Sanji came over with a cat-tail toy--where did he even get that from? “Here, kitty. Nya.”

 

Law glared at him intensely. “Get that thing away from me.”

 

“Maybe he wants cat-nip.” Zoro suggested.

 

Law screamed. “I’ll kill all of you right now!”

 

The discomfort and idiocy was definitely not something Law missed, he decided. No way. Nope. Law wriggled out of the hugging fest enough to growl at Luffy. “What did you do?!”

 

“Hm? Oh. I told everyone about that Cora-guy.” Luffy replied casually.

 

Law’s jaw would have hit the floor if he wasn’t being held upright by three very annoying sets of embracing arms. “You-! YOU! _YOUUU_!”

 

“Hm? What’s the problem?” Luffy tilted his head in confusion. “I was worried that you’d ever come around! But good thing you got your sword back, it’s the same for us then! Just like with Zoro’s _katana_!”

 

“SOMEONE EXPLAIN!” Law’s voice finally gave after that.

 

After realizing Law had momentarily lost his voice, Chopper gave him a once over and some herbal medicine to help with the pain and the damage to his vocal chords. Luffy of course, was too eager to wait very long. He wasn’t the only one who shared such a sentiment, since Law was

 

“So, so, what are we going to do?” Luffy prodded, adjusting his straw hat atop his head, a motion that Law found a strangely comforting sight.

 

“OI, LUFFY!” Chopper scolded. “You’re stressing him out, let him rest first!”

 

Law raised a hand and plopped it onto the plush reindeer head. He frowned. He missed the actual little talking animal. Come to think of it, he missed Beppo being a real talking polar bear as well. Still, it was better than not having either of them around at all. Some time passed and alongside drinks served by Sanji--his skills hadn’t diminished in the slightest, Law confirmed--he explained his desires and his plan to all of them.

 

In turn, Luffy explained that Zoro had gone through something similar as he did...though less dramatic. The gist of it was that Zoro did rather random and stupid things, like daydreaming a lot and getting lost. Since Zoro was always getting lost, it wasn’t noticeable until he started casually handing random objects to everyone. Sanji was first--he’d gotten his signature golden lighter as well as the rare, almost extinct brands of Death and King Ground cigarettes.

 

“...So.” Law said, voice weak, but loud enough to deliver the deadpan tone. “...you two finally mated?”

 

“Don’t make it sound like we’re animals!” Sanji snarled at him.

 

Zoro merely yawned, scratching his neck. “Yeah, we did.”

 

“Shut up, you animal!” Sanji turned to snarl at Zoro, then turned back to Law, holding up his hand with a ring. “We’re already engaged, so. That’s that.”

 

Law could feel the cold sweat break out on is face and neck as he watched the two men fight. “...this is like some sick endless loop we’re stuck in, huh?”

 

At least there was progress? Then again, they could’ve just been doing it behind closed doors the entire time on The Sunny. That thought had Law sweating even more.

 

“Robin got the watering can and Usopp got his slingshot!” Luffy finished explaining. “And I got my hat!”

 

Beppo, Shachi and Penguin had already started calling him ‘captain’. Though he was hesitant to leap to the best possible scenario, it made him feel better. He didn’t admit that though.

 

“So, so, that’s _why_!” Luffy continued to talk, though Law everything was well said and done. “I wanted to be with Torao again this time! Let’s have an alliance again!”

 

“...we’re not pirates anymore, Mugiwara-ya.” Law could feel his eye twitch. How thick-headed could this boy possibly be?

 

“Eh?” Luffy looked disappointed. “Does that mean you don’t want to--”

 

Law didn’t let him finish, he reached up and pulled the hat over his eyes, tilting his head down at the floor to hide his expression. “We can’t have an alliance, so that means--”

 

“FRIENDS!” Luffy screamed, tackling Law in a hug.

 

Chopper shrieked in horror. “LUFFY! I TOLD YOU TO LET HIM REST!”

 

\---

 

Law let the memories wash over him as he recovered. He could see Flevance burning, smell the ash, feel the singe of the flames, the sickening aroma of human bodies burning. It smelled eerily of sweet pork and a bit of veal. That’s all they had been to the World Government--animals to slaughter. He could see it all, even as he stared at the ceiling while Luffy pestered him with questions. Law was surprisingly calm, able to focus on his sudden lucidity even with Luffy’s voice very clearly in his ear.

 

He let the feelings that accompanied these memories pass through him as well. The hate for the World Government for abandoning them, the despair of losing his family...then, the hope Corazon had given him after the idiot had kidnapped him. The endless aching of his heart when he lost Corazon.

 

That last feeling stayed with him. He couldn’t quite marry the memories of the past to the most recent days. He felt like he’d just woken up from a long sleep and found everything different, familiar, but different. The real world didn’t seem so real anymore. Like he was living a dream.

 

Law leaned against the railing of his balcony, letting the cold breeze remind him of the way the North Blue winds would feel. It was always a cold breeze there, even i the Grand Line. Despite the chilly winter, he didn’t shiver. Inside he was warm. He stayed out there until it was dark, before heading inside.

 

That life was over, possibly hundreds of years ago. The world was different now. The seas no longer took up so much of it and the _Dai Kaizoku Jidai_ was over. There were no more pirates, at least not in the same way there were. HIs family was alive, _Cora-san_ was alive...people were together with those they loved in that life and lost too soon. That life was over. But…

 

“...this life is just beginning.” Law reffarmined to himself aloud. “ _Kikoku_...I...what am I supposed to do now?”

 

Dressrosa had passed as well, Law realized slowly. Revenge...living a life for the sake of returning the sin of stealing away _Cora-san’s_ life to Doflamingo in full force...it was all over. The pirate, Trafalgar Water D Law had returned--no less lost as when they first defeated Doflamingo. Even if he knew what he should do; what _Cora-san_ would’ve wanted for him, it felt like he still had unfinished business.

 

“What are you going to do now?” Luffy asked.

 

The mess Law was expecting the unruly band was indeed there-the lot of them were gathered in a sort of circle together in his living room. Nami and Robin had the courtesy to be properly perched on his couch, while Zoro and Sanji were leaning against his table. Franky was rudely pressing his speedo-only clad butt on the couch’s arm while Chopper was seated on Luffy’s lap as the boy sat on the floor. Brook was laying on the floor with a massive lump coming out of his head while Usopp was fanning him, trying to get him to wake up. There were leftovers and plates and napkins strewn about on every possible surface.

 

“Clean.” Law’s tone was sarcastic. “And then maybe sleep?” He looked around at the mess pointedly raising an eyebrow.

 

“So, you’re not thinking about maybe setting out to sea again?” Luffy’s curious tone hadn’t changed. The boy actually sounded a little surprised.

 

“What? _Sea_ ?” Law’s blinked a couple times. He was tempted to pick his ears and see if he misheard Luffy. “We’re not _Kaizoku_ anymore. What are you planning?”

 

“Oh, well, I’m here because gramps said the _Gomu Gomu No Mi_ might be in this town. I want to get it back! I want to be strong like before, so I can protect everyone when we set sail.” Luffy admitted innocently. “You remember everything now, right? But it’s been like...so long! Nobody’s even talking about One Piece anymore.”

 

“I want to know what happened to my home island.” Nami piped up. “I need to tell Bellemere _-san_ if it’s still there, see if her garden is doing alright...though, maybe the island isn’t there anymore.”

 

“The world hasn’t changed much compared to back then. Those in power are still hiding so many secrets I want to know. Old and new.” Robin pitched in right after her. “The phoneglyph notes I took have once again been lost to history.”

 

“I have to find Kureha too! I want to tell her that Doctor HIluluk says hi! Even if she doesn’t remember!” Chopper declared with determination.

 

“I need to find my old recipe book. Tch.” Sanji was obviously aggravated. “All those precious notes and new flavors, all my effort would be wasted. The shitty geezer doesn’t believe that I was the better cook. He says all my memories are daydreams. Doesn’t even remember me finding All Blue. I’ll show him.”

 

“All that stuff is bound to be on the Sunny!” Franky exclaimed energetically. “We find Sunny, we find everyone’s lost things! I’ve got to show Iceberg that it’s real as well!”

 

“ _Yubashiri_ is waiting for me to visit his grave.” Zoro mentioned. “And dad left a few of his things at that stupid castle of his. Now he can’t remember where it was. How do you lose a castle?”

 

Brook joined in then, “I want to find my comrades in this life as well and say hello, especially Laboon. I know he’s out there somewhere. He must be lonely.”

 

Law regarded them all one by one as they offered their intentions. Knowing how they were, there was no stopping them once they made a decision. He admired their conviction, even if he thought they were completely mad. Honestly, there was a special art to their level of insanity and disregard for logic and rules.

 

His eyes once again fell on Luffy, who grinned at him. “So that’s it, we’re going to find Sunny and set sail!”

 

“Once I repair her.” Franky reminded him. “Captain.”

 

Law smiled. He sighed through his nose. “...so why are you telling me all this?”

 

Zoro and Sanji looked at him, then at Luffy. They looked disappointed, but also not surprised.

 

“Seriously?” Sanji spoke first. “You guys are practically a package deal.”

 

Zoro yawned. “Don’t push it, cook. Law’s always been a dishonest kind of guy.”

 

“What?!” Law snarled, feeling his nerves flare up. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

“So, you’re not coming with us?” Luffy seemed a little crestfallen.

 

“Well...I…” Law groaned and facepalmed. This was too much to take in in such a short amount of time. “This morning, I was a normal med-student, _Mugiwara-ya_!”

 

“Yeah! And now you’re _Torao_!” Luffy cheerfully pointed out. “So you’ll come?”

 

A resounding sigh that was both exasperated and disappointed resonated among everyone in the room. Despite knowing them very well by now, Law was still surprised how in sync their reactions could be.

 

“You’ll come, right?” Luffy pushed.

 

Law thought about just how much of a selfish and stubborn guy Luffy was. He knew he was going to regret the very words he wanted to say next. But, he thought back to _Cora-san_ , how miraculous all this was, even if this was the doing of some wicked _Umi No Akuma_ . Even if there was some sort of sick game some higher being was playing, bringing them all together, granting them the memories of their past lives...he was grateful. At least _Kikoku_ had held is feelings dear enough to remind him of _Cora-san_.

 

“I’ll help you.” Law tried to sound resolved. “But I’m staying behind.”

 

“Yosh!” Luffy did a double-fist-pump. “Let’s hit that base tomorrow night!”

 

Shit. Just what had he gotten himself into, Law thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading! I hope you're having as much fun as I am writing this! I'll be updating as soon as possible!
> 
> Ahh, I feel like drawing the scene here where Zoro and Sanji are making Law nervous! Or when Luffy is asking Law to come with them! But I have no time! TTuTT Maybe one day...

**Author's Note:**

> Illustrated by Mossy (patreon.com/mossybrows) (mossybrows-draws.tumblr.com)  
> Cleaned by Night Hyena (nightthehyena.deviantart.com) (ko-fi.com/nighthyena)  
> Color Assistance by Cyriusli (AO3.com/mugiwaramarimo) (cyriusli.tumblr.com)
> 
> If you like my fan art, please consider supporting me on Patreon, you get downloadable rewards if you do!
> 
> If you like my writing, please consider simply buying me a ko-fi at ko-fi.com/mossybrows! I appreciate all your support and it’ll really help along with moving to my own place and paying the bills!


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